1996 BUICK CENTURY instrument panel

or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down
as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your Buick
has an air bag for the driver.
Here are the most important things to
know about the air
bag system:
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1
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have an air. bag. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. The air
’
bag is only a “supplemental restraint.” That is, it
works with safety belts but doesn’t replace them.
Air bags are designed to work only in moderate to
severe crashes where the front of your vehicle
hits
something. They aren’t designed to inflate at all in
rollover,
rear, side or low-speed frontal crashes.
Everyone
in your vehicle, including the driver,
should wear a safety belt properly -- whether or
not there’s an
.-air bag for that person.
J’
L
Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink
of an eye. If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag,
it could seriously injure you. Safety belts
help keep you in position
for an air bag inflation
in a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even
with an air bag, and sit as far back as you can
while still maintaining control of your vehicle.
AIR
BAG
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows AIR BAG.
-
The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.
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Here you can learn about the many standard and
optional features on your Buick, and information
on
starting, shifting and braking. Also explained are the
instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if
everything
is working properly -- and what to do if you
have a problem.
*
Keys
I
A CAUTION:
Leaving young children in a vehicle with the
ignition key is dangerous for many reasons.
A child
or others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows
or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don’t leave the keys in
a vehicle with young children.
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TrunkLiftgate Trunk Lock
- ~- c-
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate,
liftglass or trunk lid open because carbon
monoxide (CO) gas can come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate, liftglass or
trunk lid open or
if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal between
the body and the liftgate, liftglass or trunk lid:
Make sure all windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on
NORM or VENT. That will force outside
air into your vehicle. See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the
way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
To unlock the trunk from
the outside, insert the door
key and turn it clockwise.
Remote Trunk or Liftgate Release
You’ll find the release
button in the glove box.
The trunk will unlock
anytime the ignition is on
or
off. If you have the
wagon, the liftgate wi1.l
unlock when the ignition is
on, and the transaxle is in
PARK (P).
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OFF (C): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition, and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power
to any
accessories. Use this position if your vehicle must be
pushed
or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when the ignition is off and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN (D): Position to which the switch returns after you
start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in the RUN position when the engine is running.
But even when the engine is not running, you can
use
RUN to operate your electrical power accessories, and
to display some instrument panel warning lights.
START (E): Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch will return
to RUN
for normal driving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way in.
If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
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Wrn SignaVMultifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer and
Passing Signal
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
0 Cruise Control (Option)
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow
on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction
of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
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As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on,
a signal bulb may be burned out
and other drivers won’t
see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and check the
fuse
(see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers’’ in the Index).
Turn Signal Reminder
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound. To turn off the chime,
move the turn signal lever
to the OFF position.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer Windshield Wipers
a _:::a::_
To change
the headlamps
from low beam
to high or
high
to low, pull the turn
signal lever all the way
toward you. Then release
it. When the high beams
are on, this light
on the
instrument panel also
will be on. You
control the windshield wipers by turning the band
marked WIPER.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST.
GoTd
it there until the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will
stop after
one cycle. If you want more cycles, hold the
band on MIST longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
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The rear window
washedwiper switch is at
the center of the instrument
panel. Press the top
of the
switch labeled
WASH and
the rear wiper will run at a
constant speed.
Press the switch further and hold
to spray washer fluid
while
the wiper continues to run. The wiper will
continue to run until you press the
OFF switch.
The rear window washer fluid reservoir is the same
reservoir as the windshield washer reservoir.
Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control,
you can maintain
a
speed of about 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more
without keeping
your
foot on the accelerator.
This can really help on
long trips. Cruise
control does not work
at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts
off.
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